purgative
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Taking out the trash is like administering a purgative to my house.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 28, 2019
And this, too, felt like a purgative end to 2016.
From The New Yorker ● Jan. 3, 2017
I knew that my impulsive behavior was sparked by the emotional energy I had just absorbed from Pud’s funeral, and somehow I felt this a necessary finale, or purgative.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 9, 2015
Teddy Roosevelt also glorified war for its own sake, treating it as a refreshing purgative to enliven the spirit and a country’s greatness.
From Slate ● Sep. 12, 2014
To bring them into balance, Dr. Harlow prescribes two powerful drugs—an "emetic" to make Phineas throw up and a "purgative," a powerful laxative, to evacuate his bowels.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
